Oakleigh Plate

Established in 1884, the Oakleigh Plate is a Group 1 Open Handicap race.

It is run over 1100 metres at the Caulfield Racecourse in February during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival with $400,000 prize money reserved for the winner.

Other major features hosted by the Melbourne Racing Club on the same day include the 1200 M Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes for 2 year olds, and the 1600 M Group 1 Futurity Stakes.

The Oakleigh Plate is considered to be the middle leg of the autumn sprinting series, with the first leg being the 1100 M Group 1 Lightning Stakes held at Flemington Racecourse on the last Saturday of January. The last leg of the autumn sprinting series is Australia's most famous sprint handicap, the 1200 M Group 1 Newmarket Handicap also held at Flemington in the first week of March.

The first Oakleigh Plate in 1884 was won by Malua, who was one of the most versatile horses in Australian Racing history. He won the Adelaide Cup, Newmarket Handicap, Melbourne Stakes, and Melbourne Cup all in same year as the Oakleigh Plate. He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Oakleigh Plate is known to attract a field of impressive sprinters every year. The winner of the Oakleigh Plate over the years has usually been a good but not an elite sprinter. The lead up races to consider are the 1100 M weight for age, Group 3 Rubiton Stakes, which is run on CF Orr Stakes Day at Caulfield Racecourse, and the Group 1 Lightning Stakes, a weight for age race over 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse. In 1997, Sparticus won both the Rubiton Stakes and Oakleigh plate double, while in 2005, Fastnet Rock won the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate double.

Some horses may fancy their chances in the Oakleigh Plate after a run in the Group 1 weight for age, Australia Stakes, which is held at the same course and distance three weeks earlier. Good performers here, usually go on to compete in the 1200 M Group 1 Newmarket Handicap held at the Flemington Racecourse, usually held two weeks later. Weekend Hussler won this double in 2008.

The 2010 winner, Starspangledbanner, who won the 2009 Group 1 Yalumba Stakes, did go on to win the 2010 Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes and place third in the Newmarket Handicap in the same year. Other notable winners of the Oakleigh Plate include Wakeful in 1901, Power Duke in 1960, Placid Arc in 1987, Schillaci in 1992, and Snitzel in 2006.